New Study Reveals Link Between Weight Loss And Sleep
Trying to lose weight? Get more sleep!
A new study by the American Thoracic Society was presented at their International Conference in San Diego that found a direct link between sleep and weight. Study participants who were deemed "short sleepers" (meaning they got less than six hours per night) were discovered to have a higher average body mass index, or BMI, than the average for "long sleepers" (those who sleep more than 6 hours per night).
Their data was comprised from a study that was conducted with 14 nurses at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Nurses received counseling on nutrition, exercise, stress management, and sleep improvement throughout the program. Each nurse received identical advice and support.
To measure total activity, body temperature, body position, and other indicators of rest and activity the nurses were required to wear armbands which were capable of storing and reporting the data.
The Data Behind The Study
The average BMI for short sleepers was 28.3. That compares to an average BMI of 24.5 for long sleepers. The BMI range for normal weight is considered to be 18.5-24.9 and for overweight 25.0-29.9. BMI is calculated from a person's weight and height and is an indicator of body fat. You can find out what your own BMI is using our free online BMI calculator.
Surprisingly, the overweight participants were significantly more active than their "normal-weight" peers. The overweight participants took an average of 13,896 steps per day, compared to 11,292 for normal-weight participants. The overweight participants also burned nearly 1,000 more calories per day on average than their normal-weight peers.
“We found so many interesting links in our data,” lead researcher Arn Eliasson, MD, says in a written statement. “Primarily, we want to know what is driving the weight differences, and why sleep and weight appear to be connected."
There are several possible reasons for these findings, Eliasson says. Lack of sleep may disrupt natural hormonal balances, triggering overeating. Stress could also be a factor which could result in less sleep and an increase in appetite for the participants.
He says that "higher perceived stress may erode sleep. Stress and being less rested may cause these individuals to be less organized than normal-weight individuals, meaning they would have to make more trips and take more steps to accomplish the same tasks. This might add to their stress and encourage other unhealthy behaviors, like stress eating."
The organization has stated that they are in the middle of planning and conducting further in-depth tests to try and gauge a better understanding of the role that sleep plays in body weight.
The best advice though is to make sure to get at least six hours of sleep each night and if possible you should aim for eight. Having trouble getting to sleep? There are many all natural sleep aid supplements available to help you get a better night's rest without having to take prescription medications.
A new study by the American Thoracic Society was presented at their International Conference in San Diego that found a direct link between sleep and weight. Study participants who were deemed "short sleepers" (meaning they got less than six hours per night) were discovered to have a higher average body mass index, or BMI, than the average for "long sleepers" (those who sleep more than 6 hours per night).
Their data was comprised from a study that was conducted with 14 nurses at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Nurses received counseling on nutrition, exercise, stress management, and sleep improvement throughout the program. Each nurse received identical advice and support.
To measure total activity, body temperature, body position, and other indicators of rest and activity the nurses were required to wear armbands which were capable of storing and reporting the data.
The Data Behind The Study
The average BMI for short sleepers was 28.3. That compares to an average BMI of 24.5 for long sleepers. The BMI range for normal weight is considered to be 18.5-24.9 and for overweight 25.0-29.9. BMI is calculated from a person's weight and height and is an indicator of body fat. You can find out what your own BMI is using our free online BMI calculator.
Surprisingly, the overweight participants were significantly more active than their "normal-weight" peers. The overweight participants took an average of 13,896 steps per day, compared to 11,292 for normal-weight participants. The overweight participants also burned nearly 1,000 more calories per day on average than their normal-weight peers.
“We found so many interesting links in our data,” lead researcher Arn Eliasson, MD, says in a written statement. “Primarily, we want to know what is driving the weight differences, and why sleep and weight appear to be connected."
There are several possible reasons for these findings, Eliasson says. Lack of sleep may disrupt natural hormonal balances, triggering overeating. Stress could also be a factor which could result in less sleep and an increase in appetite for the participants.
He says that "higher perceived stress may erode sleep. Stress and being less rested may cause these individuals to be less organized than normal-weight individuals, meaning they would have to make more trips and take more steps to accomplish the same tasks. This might add to their stress and encourage other unhealthy behaviors, like stress eating."
The organization has stated that they are in the middle of planning and conducting further in-depth tests to try and gauge a better understanding of the role that sleep plays in body weight.
The best advice though is to make sure to get at least six hours of sleep each night and if possible you should aim for eight. Having trouble getting to sleep? There are many all natural sleep aid supplements available to help you get a better night's rest without having to take prescription medications.
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